Shelton High School Headmaster Beth Smith embraces Kristjan Ndoj's father Fran Ndoj at St. Joseph Church Thursday, Mar. 27, 2014, during funeral services for the 15-year-old boy who was shot on March 15 in Shelton, Conn.

Followed down the steps by his grandmother, Franga Ndoj, the casket of 15-year-old Kristjan Njod is carried from his funeral service at St. Joseph's Church in Shelton, Conn. on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Followed down the steps by his grandmother, Franga Ndoj, the casket...

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Kristjan Ndoj, a 15-year-old Shelton High School sophomore was in critical condition Monday March 17, 2014, with life-threatening injuries. Ndoj suffered a gunshot wound to the head and leg, said Lt. Robert Kozlowsky, the Shelton police spokesman.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Kristjan Ndoj, a 15-year-old Shelton High School sophomore was in...

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Kristjan Ndoj's grandmother looks back as she follows his casket into St. Joseph Church Thursday, Mar. 27, 2014, during funeral services for the 15-year-old boy who was shot on March 15 in Shelton, Conn.

Monsignor Chris Walsh hugs Kristjan Ndoj's family as his casket is taken out of St. Joseph Church Thursday, Mar. 27, 2014, during funeral services for the 15-year-old boy who was shot on March 15 in Shelton, Conn.

Father Fran Ndoj is consoled by Msgr. Christopher Walsh as mother, Rudina looks at the book of scriptures following funeral services for their son Kristjan Ndoj at St. Joseph Church Thursday, Mar. 27, 2014, in Shelton, Conn.

Shelton High Headmaster Beth Smith, left, hugs Fran Ndoj, father of 15-year-old Kristjan Njod, as the hearse arrives for Kristjan's funeral service at St. Joseph's Church in Shelton, Conn. on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Kristjan Ndoj's father Fran follows his son's casket into St. Joseph Church Thursday, Mar. 27, 2014, during funeral services for the 15-year-old Shelton High School student who was shot on March 15 in Shelton, Conn.

SHELTON -- It was advice from a wise, elderly woman that if followed might have saved his life.

On the night Kristjan Ndoj was shot his grandmother suggested he not go out, but stay home.

"I'm sure it was a little more than a suggestion coming from his grandmother," said Monsignor Christopher Walsh, pastor of St. Joseph's Church.

It was that same grandmother, Franga, from whom Kristjan would demand a kiss on his cheek before leaving for school every morning.

But on March 15 Kristjan reminded her the Gjaci family had just arrived from Albania. He told her he had to help them with their English "just like people helped us," the monsignor said.

As the night wore on Kristjan and Antonio Gjaci, a friend from the same area of Albania, rode their bikes down the River Road and up Agawam Trail to meet some other teens. When the clock approached 8:45 p.m. two shots fired from a wooded area struck Kristjan in the head and leg, dropping him onto a driveway at 1 Agawam Trail.

He died five days later.

The 15-year-old Shelton High sophomore was buried Thursday in Derby's Mount St. Peter Cemetery.

The 11-term mayor, who is seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination, said the murder -- his city's first non-domestic homicide since 1996 -- is "mind boggling" and a "sad commentary" on the violence that has enveloped this country.

Ndoj's shooting may have involved trouble over a teenage girl, according to sources.

"It has become almost epidemic," he said. "That says a lot about our behavior."

Many came from as far away as Albania, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey and as close as downtown Shelton, Ansonia and Waterbury.

"This is such a tragic senseless situation that I feel so bad for the family," said Anglace, who has a 15-year-old grandson. "I couldn't imagine being in their position."

Inside they heard a Mass celebrating the popular teen's life conducted in English by Msgr. Walsh and partially in Albanian by the Rev. Peter Popaj, pastor of Our Lady of Shkodra Church in Hartsdale, N.Y. The Rev. Popaj said his church is the only Albanian National Roman Catholic church between here and Detroit and numbers nearly 3,000 families -- some of whom came here Thursday.

"Many of these parishioners are my parishioners too," the Rev. Popaj said.

Those in attendance, which also included dozens of Shelton High teachers and students, heard Msgr. Walsh and the Rev. Popaj discuss Kristjan's life and extol his virtues.

Kristjan was born in Lac, Albania in a house next door to the parish, Msgr. Walsh said and not far from the shrine of St. Anthony of Padua. He said Kristjan's father, Fran arrived first followed in 2008 by his wife, Rudina and their two sons, Kristjan and his older brother, Elvis.

They initially lived in Ansonia before moving to a relative's home on Wooster Street and last year buying their own home on Coram Road.

Msgr. Walsh said Kristjan was aware of how hard his parents worked to make a better life for their two boys.

So he told his mother, according to Msgr. Walsh: "You and dad work hard just a few more years, but then I'm going to go to college, get a job and I'm going to take care of you."

Then, looking out at an audience containing many teenagers, the priest said: "Kids I don't want to dis your generation but I'm going to dis my generation too. In my age or your age, how many of us think of that at age 15 ... how many of you think `how can I help my mom and dad?' "

"Kristjan stood out by being so kind, that's what pains us the most ... we have such a broken heart," he said.

"We could not protect him from the violence and evil that we know is rampant everywhere," Msgr. Walsh said. "There is no safe place anymore ... nor will there be until faith, love and concern for all human beings becomes once again the primary values for us."

She remembered him making "everyone he encountered feel like a friend."

Smith said Kristjan would require his friends to join him and sit with those students who found themselves alone in the cafeteria. Upon seeing a female student feeling sad one day, Smith said Kristjan brought that girl, who he didn't know, a slice of pizza to cheer her up.

On a recent Valentines Day, Smith said Kristjan grabbed a handful of candy hearts from the House 3 office and "handed them out to every girl in his ELL (English Language Learning) class.

Kristjan did have a reputation as being "a bit of a flirt," according to Msgr. Walsh. Both he and Smith said the teen asked his father about impressing girls and was told to compliment them.

"So I guess he went around and said you have beautiful eyes, you're a beautiful girl. American boys don't do that much," Msgr. Walsh said. "I'm sure it made an impression."

"This is a tragedy none of us can explain or understand," Smith said.

She urged those in attendance to keep Kristjan in mind by "continuing the acts of kindness he would have done ... to respect our parents and elders as he did ... to satisfy the thirst for learning that he had and to share our talents and our gifts with others as he did."

The headmaster's voice cracked and her face crinkled as she said "Thank-you Kristjan for being living proof that there are good people in this world."

She raised her eyes skyward and beseeched him to "watch over us and guide us to do the good you would have done."